It’s a new discovery.
A recent study has identified two early symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS)—blurred vision and sphincter dysfunction affecting the bladder and bowel—that may indicate how quickly the disease will progress and influence treatment options. Conducted by researchers led by Dr. João Pedro Gonçalves from the Federal University of Bahia in Brazil, the study emphasizes the importance of these symptoms in predicting the severity of disability over time.
The study examined 195 MS patients, tracking their initial symptoms and subsequent functional outcomes using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Findings indicated that patients who reported blurred vision early in their diagnosis had a 20% increased likelihood of experiencing worse long-term outcomes compared to those without this symptom. Similarly, those with early sphincter dysfunction were 24.5% more likely to develop significant disability in the future.
Interestingly, two other early symptoms—acute paralysis and numbness—did not show a correlation with worse outcomes, which contrasts with some prior studies. The researchers have not fully determined why blurred vision and sphincter dysfunction might signal a more aggressive form of the disease. However, one theory suggests that these symptoms may reflect greater damage to the central nervous system.
Dr. Gonçalves highlighted that this information could be crucial for healthcare providers when developing initial treatment strategies and monitoring the disease’s progression. He suggested that recognizing patients who are at higher risk for severe disability early on could allow for more aggressive interventions, potentially altering the course of the disease.
The findings, published on September 24 in the journal Brain Medicine, underscore the need for further research to explore how these insights might impact treatment decisions. By improving the understanding of symptom correlation with disease progression, healthcare providers could enhance their approaches to managing MS effectively.
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